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Pentland Ferries
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Pentland Ferries operate a daily ferry service between Gills Bay in Caithness, Scotland about 3 miles West of John o' Groats, and St Margaret's Hope on South Ronaldsay in Orkney. This route, known as The Short Sea Crossing, is generally considered to be the quickest route across the Pentland Firth by car, taking about 1 hour.
The company currently has three vessels the MV Pentalina-B the MV Claymore and thePentalina although only one operates on the route at any time.
Due to the short sailing time there is no cabin accommodation: however a cafeteria is available for meals and refreshments.
Pentland Ferries is a privately owned, family company which has operated since May 2001.
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Encyclopedia
Pentland Ferries operate a daily ferry service between Gills Bay in Caithness, Scotland about 3 miles West of John o' Groats, and St Margaret's Hope on South Ronaldsay in Orkney. This route, known as The Short Sea Crossing, is generally considered to be the quickest route across the Pentland Firth by car, taking about 1 hour.
The company currently has three vessels the MV Pentalina-B the MV Claymore and thePentalina although only one operates on the route at any time.
Due to the short sailing time there is no cabin accommodation: however a cafeteria is available for meals and refreshments.
Pentland Ferries is a privately owned, family company which has operated since May 2001. It is one of only two Scottish ferry companies that receive no subsidy or other financial assistance.
Company history
The company was started by its present managing director, Andrew Banks. In October 1997 he purchased the ex Caledonian MacBrayne ferry MV Iona, the first drive-through MacBrayne ferry with both bow and stern doors. This was renamed Pentalina-B, the name Pentalina being still registered to a previous vessel which had been sold. An attempt was made to start a service between the Cromarty Firth at Invergordon and Orkney but being unable to generate enough freight, or get a subsidy, the service was abandoned and the vessel laid up.
Feeling the short sea route had potential, even although it had been tried and abandoned by Orkney Islands Council in 1989, he obtained, after protracted negotiations, a 99 year lease on the Gills Bay terminal. After some two years work improving the site the recently formed Pentland Ferries vessel Pentalina-B started the service in May 2001 sailing to St Margaret's Hope.
The MV Claymore, another ex Cal-Mac vessel, was purchased in 2002 from Sea Containers Ltd who had operated it on the Campbeltown to Ballycastle run. After another attempt at starting up the Orkney to Invergordon route fell through, the vessel was put to work during the winter season in place of the Pentalina-B.
On the 11th March 2008 a Marine Accident Investigation Board (MAIB) began an investigation after an incident wherby the Claymore had to have her passengers disembarked via the Longhope Lifeboat, there were no casualties. The MAIB made several recommendations regarding improving safety.[1]
Present operations
The Pentalina-B and Claymore can carry around 50 cars, or 4–5 articulated lorries and fewer cars. Having two vessels to maintain while only one is working is obviously a drain on the company's resources, however in 2006 the Pentalina-B was chartered out in its off season to carry livestock across the channel from Dover.
The company is probably unique in having to finance and carry out its own improvements at the Gills Bay terminal. Improvements at St Margaret's Hope are through the local harbour trust to which harbour dues are paid but which give the company less control over what can be done there.
In addition to the usual tractor units and tugs for moving trailers and other cargo equipment there are a number of pieces of construction and earth-moving equipment not usually required by a ferry company. The fleet also includes a barge used for dredging at Gills in the summer and an extension to the pier at The Hope in the winter. Also an ex fishing boat to tow the barge and a tug / workboat for general duties.
Fair Competition
Of significant controversy is why Pentland Ferries receive no subsidy, and why competing ferry operator NorthLink Ferries and their parent company, the state owned Caledonian MacBrayne receive millions of pounds in state subsidies, distorting fair competition. However, their ability to provide a life line ferry service was brought into question in December 2008 when due to dry-dock commitments Pentland Ferries were unable to offer any service what so ever for almost two weeks, leaving the life line operator NorthLink Ferries to maintain the regular service to the mainland.
Future prospects
The Pentalina B and Claymore are both due for replacement at the end of August 2008 by a catamaran ferry.
This will greatly improve passenger comfort, reduce the crossing time and improve reliability having been designed for the route. It will have a capacity of 350 passengers and either 32 cars and 8 articulated lorries or an increased number of cars, with a service speed of 18 knots.
Talks continue over gaining access to the Burwick terminal on South Ronaldsay from which the new ferry could operate. This would cut the crossing time to about 30 minutes. Due to its exposed location to westerly weather the Burwick terminal would probably be used only during the summer months.
There have also been talks in the past about a linkspan being installed at Wick. The old linkspan from Stromness is lying there and has been offered to the harbour for a nominal sum by Andrew Banks who owns it. Were they able to use Wick, which is sheltered when Gills Bay is closed by westerly winds, then a reduced service could be maintained in all but the worst weather. At present there is no agreement over who will pay to install it, nor is there any imminent sign of this happening.
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